Neville, Carragher clash over five players for team of the season as Liverpool overlooked

Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville

Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville named their Premier League teams of the season on Sky Sports‘ Monday Night Football – but disagreed on five players.

With the end of the season approaching, the two pundits reflected on the campaign as a whole. It looks to be one in which Manchester City will hold aloft the trophy. Manchester United will also be in the top four but the battle for the remaining European places remains open.

A number of players have stood out in a season like no other – not just at the top clubs. But understandably, players from both Manchester clubs dominated Neville and Carragher’s suggestions.

Neville chose five Man City players and four from United in his lineup, with only Chelsea’s Edouard Mendy and Tottenham’s Harry Kane coming from other clubs.

Carragher agreed with his selection of Kane, while there was also crossover between some of the Manchester-based players. Ruben Dias, Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden, Luke Shaw and Bruno Fernandes were named in both teams.

But Carragher cast his net a bit wider by selecting a couple of players from outside the traditional top six. Aston Villa and West Ham have both had strong seasons and he chose Emiliano Martinez and Vladimir Coufal to reflect that, while also naming Tomas Soucek as his signing of the season.

For that honour, Neville instead chose Man Utd striker Edinson Cavani.

 


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The only difference in their respective midfields saw Neville choose Ilkay Gundogan and Carragher opt for N’Golo Kante.

Explaining that decision, the ex-Liverpool defender said: “I thought Kante, certainly since [Thomas] Tuchel has come in, he’s probably been as good as any player in the league. Certainly some of his Champions League performances have been outrageous in these last few weeks.”

Likewise, there was only one difference in each of their attacks, where Neville chose Marcus Rashford and Carragher went for Son Heung-min.

Carragher said: “I went for Son. I was thinking about Mo Salah as top goalscorer. But I just think goals and assists, he’s got more than Salah combined and obviously Mo Salah takes penalties whereas Kane is the penalty taker [for Spurs] so that’s the reason I went for Son.”

But Neville interjected: “I had Son in at one point, but over the last couple of months, and I love Son as a player, but he’s disappointed me.

“I can’t get that Carabao Cup final out of my head. Spurs were really disappointing and it’s carried with me a little bit, he shouldn’t do, because he’s a brilliant player. An exceptional talent, but I changed him at the last minute.”

Neville and Carragher’s teams of the season

Neville’s team of the season: Edouard Mendy; Kyle Walker, Harry Maguire, Ruben Dias, Luke Shaw; Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Bruno Fernandes; Phil Foden, Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford

Manager of the season: Pep Guardiola

Player of the season: Ruben Dias

Signing of the season: Edinson Cavani

Carragher’s team of the season: Emiliano Martinez; Vladimir Coufal, John Stones, Ruben Dias, Luke Shaw; Kevin De Bruyne, N’Golo Kante, Bruno Fernandes; Phil Foden, Harry Kane, Son Heung-min.

Manager of the season: Pep Guardiola

Player of the season: Ruben Dias

Signing of the season: Tomas Soucek

READ MORENeville names attacker he expects Man Utd to sign but rules out Kane deal